Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, says his presidential aspiration is not an act of betrayal of his erstwhile political associate, Bola Tinubu.
He spoke on Wednesday when he was featured on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ programme.
Fayemi, the current Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, had earlier on Wednesday declared his intention to run for the office of the President in 2023.
The Ekiti governor and member of the All Progressives Congress are in the race with Tinubu, who is also interested in clinching the presidential ticket of the ruling party at the APC primary election later this month.
Tinubu had in January declared his intention to succeed the incumbent, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in May 2023, saying his presidential ambition is a “lifelong” one.
However, speaking on Wednesday night, Fayemi said, “Running for office is not an ambition; I’ve always maintained that it is service, it is sacrifice, it is duty.”
On his relationship with Tinubu, Fayemi said, “I’ve had a very good relationship with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu whom I met in exile in 1994 when he came out after the annulment of the election and the establishment of NADECO (National Democratic Coalition)…We maintained a very cordial relationship ever since then.
“So, when I was asked by Governor Niyi Adebayo, the current Minister of Trade and Investment, to come and run for office in Ekiti, Asiwaju supported me; he was out there for me because of his knowledge of my involvement in the pro-democracy movement and we’ve worked together on a number of issues.
“This is not a personal contest; this is about Nigeria, the future of our children. It is about competing visions of what that future holds for Nigerians.
“I have the greatest respect for Asiwaju and I will continue to do that but I do believe that I have a strong vision on how to reposition Nigeria and build on the legacies of the current President.”
